Vibration damper for wire-drawing machines



Sept. 12, 1950 A. J. STELLA 2,521,379

VIBRATION DAMPER FOR WIRE DRAWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 13, I946 Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VIBRATION DAMPER FOR WIRE-DRAWING MACHINES Anthony J. Stella, Worcester, Mass.

Application August 13, 1946, Serial N 0. 690,257

3 Claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a somewhat conventional form of wire drawing machine with my improved vibration damping means applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on line III-III of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, l represents the frame or casing of a conventional form of wire drawing machine for reducing the cross sectional area of the wire drawn therethrough. Such conventional wire drawing machines are usually equipped with a capstan It or other pullout device for drawing the wire through one or more dies l2. The wire is reeved one or more times around the capstan l4 and thence goes to a winding spool It or other take-up device for accumulating the finished drawn wire product.

In the operation of a machine such as that referred to above, it is found that the stretch of wire between the last die l2 and the spooling device 16, or .the stretch of wire between the capstan l4 and the spooling device i6, vibrates to such an extent that uniform and precision spooling is difficult to accomplish. Such vibration, I have determined, also sets up an undesired condition in the finished wire product. To overcome the dimculties just mentioned, I provide vibration damping means such as indicated as a whole at It. The particular damping means illustrated comprises a simple strap hinge having one leaf 20 rigidly secured fiatwise to the frame portion Ila of the wire drawing machine; the other leaf 22 extending generally horizontally therefrom and being free to rock or pivot about the hinge pintle 24. To the underside of the free leaf 22 there is secured a pad 26 of felt, rubber or other suitable compressible material, which is adapted to ride on top of the stretch of wire w, preferably between the capstan I4 and the spool or take-up device IS. The weight of the hinge leaf 22 and the pad 26 secured thereto, acting on the top of the wire, is sufiicient to damp the vibration in the stretch of wire or to change the period of vibration so that difficulties in spooling heretofore encountered are eliminated. Use of the invention has demonstrated that much better spooling of the product can be accomplished thereby than could be obtained with spooling mechanism lacking such provision for eliminating or damping the vibration just ahead of the spool.

While I have described quite specifically a embodiment of the invention, the success of which has been demonstrated by experience on a production basis, it is not to be understood that I am limited thereto, since various modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A damper for modifying the vibration of wire traveling from a reducing die to a take-up device, said damper comprising a pair of metal straps'hinged together end-to-end on a substantially horizontal axis, one of said straps being secured fiatwise to a supporting surface such as the frame of a wire-drawing machine and the other strap extending generally horizontally with its free end resting on the wire adjacent said device and exerting a force thereon by gravity effective to check vibration.

2. The apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by said other strap having a pad of compressible material on the under-surface thereof.

3. A damper for modifying the vibration of a wire traveling from a reducing die to a take-up spool on which the drawn wire is accumulated, said damper comprising a strap hinge disposed with its axis substantially horizontal and having one leaf secured to a fixed support, the other leaf extending generally horizontally and carrying a compressible pad on the underside thereof riding on the stretch of wire approaching said spool, whereby the weight of said other leaf reduces the vibration of the wire.

ANTHONY J. STELLA;

REFERENCES crran 4& The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS v Great Britain Nov. 18, 1926 

